


Some Might call it Wisdom

by SkywritesDaydreams



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Nightmare talk, Other, Slight Violence, Tarot mention
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-13
Updated: 2020-03-13
Packaged: 2021-02-28 19:02:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,284
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23132122
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SkywritesDaydreams/pseuds/SkywritesDaydreams
Summary: Caleb has a flashback in his dreams, but how did a certain Member of the Nien Know to wake him?
Relationships: Jester Lavorre & Nott, Mollymauk Tealeaf & Caleb Widogast, Nott & Caleb Widogast
Comments: 2
Kudos: 34





	Some Might call it Wisdom

The agony in his scream. The crackling of the fire as it ate at his flesh. Those dying eyes. He needed to die. Anyone willing to sacrifice innocent people to a manticore needed to die. He would have killed them in the name of his so-called god. Only as he saw that priest burning, More bodies joined him. Bodies Caleb knew well. Those of his family and countless others. How many had he truly killed? How many people did he feed to the flames? He could still hear his family screaming for him. He tried to cover his ears from their cries but that only made them louder. He couldn’t take this. There was no way to take it back. He couldn’t save them then, he can’t save them now.

A rough grip on his shoulder Made Caleb sit up quickly with a dagger in his hand ready to fight. Had his alarm been tripped? Were they under attack? He looked around and everyone else was still asleep. The lavender colored hand on his shoulder was still there. He looked up to meet the red eyes of Mollymauk to see a gentle smile and concern.

“Sorry… Thought it best to wake you before you honestly screamed.” Caleb nodded a bit, His heart slowing down. It had been a dream. He could see where Molly had been sitting playing with his cards by the fire keeping an eye out.

“Danke…. Sorry If I..”

“No need to be sorry. Just come over here and talk.” Caleb nodded a bit and moved his things closer to where the tiefling was. Molly sat back down and smiled.

“So What was it tonight?”

“What was what?”

“Don’t play Dumb Caleb, We all know better.” Caleb laughed a bit as he sat down. Nott was curled up in Jester’s arms with a little smile. Those two had gotten really close and he was glad of it. Nott needed that. Caleb looked over at the Cards and felt a small shock. The Sun, The High Priest and Death were face up.

“Were you doing a reading on me?”

“Oh um…” Molly smiled a bit.

“Saw you moving over there and decided to ask. The sun is usually a good thing but with you…” Caleb nodded then and sighed. There was no point in lying to this man. Molly had always been there. Even when it happened, Molly had been the one to pull him to his feet and get his head on straight. He’s always close so Caleb doesn’t have to resort to using his fire magic. Caleb gave a little snap to a piece of wood in case though and got the fire back to life.

“It’s about what happened…. With the priest. I keep seeing him in my dreams and hearing that scream as he burnt alive…. And others.” Caleb couldn’t bring his voice up. He could feel his throat trying to close on him as the pain he felt in his dream came back.

“I’ve killed Molly… I’ve killed so many times and they all haunt me. I can hear them all screaming for me not to but… I can’t change what I’ve done.”

Molly listened shuffling the remaining cards and gave a small smile. It was sad but full of understanding.

“Caleb, We’ve all killed. There’s not a time in anyone’s life that we haven’t had to kill some part of something or a part of ourselves to survive. Everyone here, Even innocent little Jester has blood on their hands. It’s part of the circle of life sadly. In order for something else to survive, Something or someone has to die.” Molly drew a card off the top then and it was the moon. Molly smiled then and picked up the Sun card and held them out.

“You see these two? The sun and the moon. They’re always in a circle around us. So many people see the sun as life. It brings warmth and light and chases away the demons of the night. The moon though is her opposite. It helps usher in the dark and causes the shadows where demons and fears hide, Yet neither of them could exist without the other. To help this world survive, We need the dark and the light. They exist inside of all of us…. You have your sun Caleb. It’s dimmed but it’s still there. I can see it and I know that little girl of yours can.” Molly gestured over to Nott then and Caleb couldn’t help but smile. It was the truth. Nott had always seen the best of him. She had never left Caleb’s side when he needed her and has often put herself in danger for his sake.

“What about you Molly?” Caleb refocused then and Molly laughed.

“I’m a walking sun, Can’t you tell?” Molly gestured to his clothes then making Caleb chuckle. Molly smiled then and looked back at the cards in his hands.

“I’ve got it too…. I just hope you guys never have to see the Darkness… It’s not something I want to let anyone else see anymore…. Yasha has seen Glimpses…” Molly shook his head then and hid the cards. Caleb smiled then.

“You know, What you just said, some people might call wisdom.”

“Oh? Well I am a fortune teller. Wisdom is my game.” Molly gave Caleb a wink then making the ragged wizard laugh. Molly smiled then and stretched slightly.

“There we go. There’s that light I told you about.” Caleb shook his head gently then and sighed.

“You’re insane.”

“No I’m weird. Big difference.” It took everything in Caleb not to just die laughing then. Molly knew it too. He had that god forsaken smirk on his face again. A few quiet chuckles escaped as Caleb laid out on his cot then and just smiled.

“Thank you…”

“I’m not going to leave a friend in pain if I can help Caleb. The same you do for us.” He felt molly gently touch his head then as he shifted and Caleb just relaxed. It was an odd feeling for sure. He wasn’t used to kind touches except from Nott.

“So just rest here for tonight. I’ve got this last watch and you’ve got your silver thread. We’re safe.”

“Alright… If you need me…”

“I can wait till you’re rested idiot.” Caleb laughed then and just rested there close to Molly. He could smell the incense Molly carried in a little pouch on his side and the oddly calming smell of just Molly under it. His gentle fingers combing through Caleb’s unruly locks and the crackle of the fire close by, It was just enough to lure him back into sleep.

The next morning, Nott woke up early, Intending to check on Caleb. She hadn’t meant to fall asleep with Jester but Nott got tired during their drawing lesson. She looked across the dying fire and saw something beyond adorable. Molly had his back against a stump he had rolled over for his watch eyes closed in the last hour, with his hand in Caleb’s hair still gently rubbing circles. Caleb was curled up under his blanket and coat holding his book close, dead to the world. Nott knew he had been further away from everyone so She knew he must have woken up at some point probably from a nightmare. Still… It was worth seeing them both at peace like this. Nott got the small piece of paper she had been learning to draw on and sat down close by. There was no reason to let this scene go to waste after all. Jester could help her get the final details later once Nott got the faces.


End file.
